Shackles of Love#16#MG Chapter 51-52 - Page 89

CHAPTER 52:

Feeling as if a big weight had been lifted, Maan impatiently waited for the mechanic to fix his car. But after 15 minutes, when he saw no sign of the car getting fixed, he asked the mechanic if he could hire a car somewhere. After some negotiation, the garage owner agreed to lend his jeep for a mighty price to Maan which he would return on collecting his own car.

At that time, Maan gave a damn about the money, he just wished to see and bring back his Geet where she belonged.

With him.

He will make it work this time, he vowed. Nobody, no past, no shadows, nothing would be allowed to come between them this time. He would ensure that he gives her as much happiness as she had brought in his life.

He would convince her to give him a chance, making sure that she never ever regrets it.

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Geet was sitting in the room, pleading tiredness. Her pale face and listless eyes aided her in the lie and Pammi let her rest, carrying on with her works. Darji and Tejji had gone to a nearby village on some business and weren't expected back till late evening.

As Geet stared into oblivion, sudden screams of joy along with two pairs of hands suddenly engulfed her, nearly choking her and brought her out of the void she was falling into.

She turned around to hug the two people who she had missed, all three of them crying. The happy reunion was interrupted by Rajji and Tito's tirade over her unexpected arrival and questions regarding her life in the big city.

As she sat chatting there with her siblings, the haunting expression which had been on her face slowly ebbed as she laughed at the stories they were recounting for her.

However, Rajji did not miss the aloofness in her tone, the way she was distracted by something, her monosyllabic answers.

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It was nearly evening and the trio were now sitting in the living room, chatting. It was actually more of Rajji and Tito talking and Geet obliging with the occasional nod or word.

The sudden ringing of the doorbell sent apprehensive shivers down Geet who was waiting fearfully for Darji's arrival. She had no idea what would happen, but she knew she had to face it sooner or later.

Rajji and Tito were busy fighting over the last pakoda, and Geet was lost in her own world, oblivious to what they were saying.

Pammi opened the door and to her surprise found Maan standing there. She hid her surprise well, not wanting to question the damad, she would wait for Darji to do that. She politely led him to the living room and offered to get him some refreshments.

However, Maan was not interested in her hospitality; his eyes were trained on the object of his affections who was sitting silently, as if alien to her surroundings.

He just watched her from the doorway, unable to remove his eyes from her, lest she disappeared.

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Feeling as if someone had touched her, Geet turned towards the door and what she saw made her stand up suddenly, shell shocked. The face which had been haunting her since her return was right in front of her. For a while she couldn't distinguish between reality and her imagination.

Had she wished him to be here so badly that now she was hallucinating? He wouldn't be here now would he? He would be glad that she had left without making any fuss. He would be happy that she was no more there to disrupt his well organized life. She was definitely imagining things. She closed her eyes to clear her mind's eye, but then her other senses took over, making her brain freeze.

His presence, his smell gave her that sense of calm and security, enveloping her in a different world, her world of her small dream of their happy family. She shook off her thoughts before she once again drowned in her memories.

He would be happy with Sameera……She closed her eyes in pain, "Don't go there Geet!"

"Geet…." His husky voice broke her reverie, making her realize that he was for real.

. "Babaji!" she prayed, "He is really here! But for what? Why has he come now? Wasn't all that has happened enough or is there something still remaining? Was he here to get his pound of flesh? To butcher her already broken heart n soul?"

"Geeet..." His voice brought her back to her reality once more.

And the reality was that even though they were mere inches apart, in reality there were oceans separating them. The chasm between them was too wide to be bridged by her dreams or her love. He would always be on the other side, no matter how much she tried to bridge the gap.

But now she was tired, tired of fighting him, herself, her fate, and her destiny.

As she looked at him, her eyes pools of pure pain, she was startled to see his eyes depicting an unknown emotion. This time she chose to ignore it, not wanting to fall for any emotion because she knew by now that at the end it would result in her being hurt beyond recovery.

"Aap yaha?" she asked, wanting to get this over with so that she could curl up in a corner and cry her heart out. She had wanted to leave in peace, but it seems he was hell bent on denying her that too. Hadn't her letter made it more than clear to him that he was free and she was no longer an encumbrance hanging like a noose around his neck?

His eyes motioned to the curious duo sitting behind her and Geet asked Rajji and Tito to leave. Rajji was about to protest but Geet's one look stopped her and she dragged Tito away.

"Abhi bataiye, kyu aaye hai aap yaha."

"Mai tumhe lene aaya hu, Geet. Ghar chalo." He just came straight to the point because he knew he had wasted enough time. Now was the time to make amends and put things through.

Jolting back at his words, she said loud n clear, "Ghar? Kaunsa ghar? Wo ghar to mera kabhi tha hi nahi. Aapne to kabhi use mera hone hi nahi diya! To abh kyu aaye hai?"

"Geet, please, hum ye sab baatein baad me bhi kar sakte hai. I know I was wrong. But I have realized it, wapas chalo Geet!" Maan almost pleaded.

But Geet was firm, this time she was not going to bend, "Maine kaha na, mai aapke saath wapis nahin jaungi."

"Kyu nahi jayegi?" Came a loud voice from behind, scaring Geet. They turned to find Brij standing right behind with his arms folded, the permanent scowl marring his face making him look more frightening. Geet had thought to avoid Brij till Darji returned, but seemed like luck wasn't on her side anymore.

"Oyee. Tune suna nahi? Jawaab de? Kyu nahi jayega tu iske saath? Iske saath nahi to phir kiske saath jayegi? Kahin aisa toh nahi ke wo aadmi jiske saath tu aayi thi wo jhooth keh raha tha? Kaun tha wo?"

Maan was about to protest, but one look from Geet shut him up. his blood was boiling at the way brij was treating Geet, but he held on to his temper for Geet's sake.

Brij was waiting for his answers as what he had overheard confirmed his suspicions to Geet's untimely arrival. Geet was hiding something, he sensed. Brij eyed the man before him with loathing. All was not as it seemed, and he would get to the bottom of this mystery before Darji arrived. Maybe then Darji would look at him like he did this Maan Singh.

"Geet mai kuch pooch raha hu! Ye Maan tujhe lene aaya hai to tu iske saath wapis kyu nahi jayegi? Aur tu ise bina bataye aayi hi kyu? Kaisa bhi ho, hai to tera pati hi na!" He taunted, making his loathing evident.

Not wanting to get into a confrontation with Brij, Geet just bent her head while Brij spit out his vile.

"Tujh jaisi ladkiyo ki wajah se samaaj me hum jaise shareef khandaano ka naam kharab hota hai! Kisi paraye mard ke saath ghoom rahi thi apne pati ko chodke. Aaj mai tujhe batatu hu, tujh jaise ******* ke saath kaisa sulook hona chahiye, taki fir koi aur ladki ye galti karne se pehle sau baar soche..." Saying this, he pulled her harshly in the middle of the room, and was about to slap her but Maan interrupted, "Mai chup hu, iska ye matlab nahi ke tum kuch bhi bakte jao! Wo bhi Maan Singh Khurrana ki biwi ke bare me. I know you don't like me, lekin Geet ke bare me aisa sochna bhi mat!"

"Mai soch raha hu? Mai to tujhe sach bata raha hu, ke ye tere peet ke peeche kya gul khila rahi hai! Isse pooch." He shouted angrily. "Aur tu chup kyu hai? Kuch bolti kyu nahi!" he shook Geet violently to get a reaction, and she snapped, "Mujhse mat poochiye mai yaha kyu aayi hu. Darji acche se jaante hai! Jab wo aaye to unse hi pooch lena." She nearly screamed, shooting Maan a meaningful look.

Two faces changed colour one red with anger while the other turned pale with guilt.

This was a shocker to everyone present there, as by that time the entire household had gathered there due to Brij's shouting. Geet answering back was unacceptable to them. A woman was supposed to bow her head and just reply to whatever was asked, anything more was taboo.

Brij was unable to believe her audacity in answering him back. Anger getting the better of him, he marched forward to Geet, crushing her delicate arm in his to turn her towards him, "Teri itni himmat ke tu mujhse zubaan lada rahi hai!" he snarled as he raised his hand to hit her.

Geet closed her eyes tightly as she flinched away, anticipating the blow which never came. She opened her eyes to see Maan holding Brij's hands and shooting him a deathly glare.

Maan had been standing in guilt, but he couldn't hold himself when he saw Brij manhandling his Geet, and now the limit was when he tried to hit her.

"Maan Singh Khurrana ki biwi pe haath uthaane ke jurratt kaise hui tumhari? Apne haath ko kaabu mai rakh Brij warna agli baar yeh haath kuch karne ke laayak nahin rahega." He snarled, throwing Brij's hand away and pushing him away from Geet, standing between them lest Brij tried anything else.

Brij was incensed at Maan, "Oye, tera dimaag kharab ho gaya hai? To iske liye mujhpe haath utha raha hai? Mujhpe? Brij Handa pe?"

"Ye koi 'is' nahi hai! Meri biwi hai!"

"Teri biwi ka dimaag kharab ho gaya hai! Wo apni aukad bhool gayee hai! Kuch din shaher ki hawa kya khali apni hadein paar karne lag gayee hai! Bahoot zubaan chal rahi hai iski! Aaj agar iski akal thikane na lagayee to…." and he went to finish his incomplete task and raised his hand but this time Maan angered beyond reason caught it and twisted it behind his back.

"Agar Geet ko dobara haath lagane ki koshish bhi ki, to tera haath tod dunga." Maan said in a menacing whisper, his face red with anger scaring everyone present there. "Ek baar kahi gayi baat shayad teri moti buddhi mein nahin jaati! Door reh meri Geet se!" Maan snarled and was about to hit him back when Geet spoke, "Chod dijiye unhe! Wo mere Veerji hai aur yeh humare ghar ki baat hai! Aapko beech mein padhne ki koi zaroorat nahi."

He turned to Geet in shock, his anger on Brij transferring to Geet. "Geet ye tumhe maar raha hai aur tum mujhe hi…"

"Haan! Mai keh rahi hu ye mujhe maare peete aapko isse kya? Koi haq nahi hai aapka jo aap humare ghar ke maamle mein bole. Waise bhi mera aur aapka rishta hi kya hai?"

"Ye tum kya keh rahi ho Geet! You are my wife dammit!" Maan tried asserting, by moving towards her and holding her arms, but she didn't let him touch her, "Kuch nahi hu mai aapki! Aap shayad bhool gaye ho apni kahi gayi baatein, par mujhe sab kuch yaad hai! Har wo baat, har ek shabd, sab kuch!"

"Geet, listen to me for once dammit!" Maan ran a frustrated hand through his hair.

"Kya sunu mai aur kya kahenge aap? Abhi bhi kuch bacha hai kya Maan? Jo kuch bhi dekhna sunna tha wo mai dekh aur sunn chuki hu us din party mai. Aur waise bhi mai to abh tak sehti aur sunti hi aa rahi hu!" Tears rolled down her eyes finally, as she recollected the scene on the terrace on the night of the party.

"Par abh bas!" She said with an eerie finality in her voice, wiping away the tears. "Bahot ho chuka ye sab. Thak gayi hu in sab cheezon se. Roz roz ki in ladaiyon se, kadwahat se, aapki nafrat se, aapke ghusse se….aur AAP se."

Maan was totally shocked this was the last thing he expected his Geet to say to him. He knew she was angry, hurt, but to this extent that she even refused to listen to him? Had he treated her so badly that she was unable to give him another chance?

Had he misread her eyes? Had he read something there that he desperately wanted to see and not what was actually depicted?

If he thought his misery had ended, he was sadly mistaken. There was more coming his way.

"Please mujhe baksh dijiye." She folded her hands in front of him and bowed her head, "Mai jaanti hu 6 mahine pure hone mai abhi waqt hai, par aap fikar mat kijiye, meri taraf se aapko koi takleef nahi hogi. Mai aapki zindagi aur khushiyon ke beech nahi aaungi. Mai jaanti hu meri kya ehmiyat hai aapki zindagi mein. Abh mai dobaara apni galti nahi dhauraungi."

What followed shocked everyone present there.

They watched in horror as Geet removed her mangalsutra with trembling hands and taking Maan's hand, gave it to him.

"Aap azaad hai! Har rishtay se, har bandhan se aur mujhse."

She looked him straight in the eye and said emotionlessly, "Darwaza abhi bhi khula hai! Aap ko nikalna chahiye, warna Delhi pahuchne tak bahot late ho jayega. I am sure there must be someone awaiting your arrival."

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